Control shellfish depuration production

URN: IMPFP142
Business Sectors (Suites): Fish and Shellfish Operations
Developed by: Improve
Approved on: 2025

Overview

This standard is about the skills and knowledge required to control shellfish depuration. It details the skills required to set-up, operate and control a shellfish depuration process. It is also about working to product specifications and production schedules.
 
You must know and understand how to manage the depuration process. You must also know how to address problems and adhere to regulatory standards and standard operating procedures and be able to apply your skills and knowledge within food safety and health and safety regulations and any relevant international industry codes. You should also have an understanding of how the green circular economy supports repeated use of resources and products within your organisation.
 
This standard is for you if you are involved in the processing of shellfish and control the depuration of shellfish.


Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. obtain tools and equipment required to support planned operations, including hygiene and personal protective equipment
  2. organise the resources required to complete planned depuration
  3. monitor and maintain depuration activities to achieve the required environmental conditions and legal food safety requirements
  4. collect management information to demonstrate performance of depuration facilities, and to manage all critical control points
  5. check the health status of purified shellfish is maintained during storage
  6. confirm potential or actual variations from planned purification are investigated, and action is taken to minimise disruption of the depuration process
  7. organise the dispatch of shellfish according to legal requirements
  8. complete records according to organisational requirements

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. what the organisational standards are and what may happen if they are not followed
  2. the environmental conditions required to support purification
  3. legal food safety requirements including personal hygiene, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and the controls associated with dispatch centres for shellfish
  4. the principles of depuration as a process of purifying shellfish
  5. the production capabilities and characteristics of the depuration system in operation
  6. HACCP and its application as a system for managing food safety
  7. shellfish welfare requirements and how these are maintained during depuration
  8. the storage and handling requirements of purified shellfish
  9. shellfish and seawater classifications and their associated purification requirements
  10. the resources required to support the depuration process including people, equipment, power and storage
  11. how to monitor and maintain shellfish in depuration
  12. labelling requirements associated with shellfish dispatch
  13. what recording, reporting and communication is needed, how to carry this out and the reasons why it is important to do so
  14. the limits of your own authority and competence and why it is important to work within those limits

Scope/range


Scope Performance


Scope Knowledge


Values


Behaviours


Skills


Glossary


Links To Other NOS


External Links


Version Number

1

Indicative Review Date

2028

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Improve

Original URN

IMPFP142

Relevant Occupations

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Manufacturing Technologies, Plant and Machine Operatives, Process Operatives

SOC Code

8111

Keywords

Fish, shellfish, seawater, health, safety, hygiene